1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an installation method and an uninstallation method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses having a Java platform to which a Java application can be added are available.
In a typical image forming apparatus, when an application is added, an installation processing unit extracts an application program and application data from, for example, an installation file. The installation processing unit then installs the application program and the application data as a package onto a storage device provided in the image forming apparatus. The application data is data requested when the application program is executed. The application data is not user data, but is instead setting data required to execute the application program.
Applications to be added to an image forming apparatus are managed in units of the packages described above, and are installed or uninstalled on a package-by-package basis. Installation and uninstallation of packages is prohibited for general users and is restricted to only administrative users. The installation or uninstallation of a package is not permitted until, for example, an administrator logs in.
In some cases, application data used for an application is added or changed after the application is installed. For example, in an application that allows a form format and numerical data to be combined and printed, the form format is supplied as application data. Thus, a change in the form format involves a change in the application data.
In another example, a package including an application program and application data is installed using an installation file. Then, another package having additional application data without an accompanying application program may be installed as an application plug-in using another installation file that includes the additional application data.
As described above, applications are managed on a package-by-package basis, and an installation processing unit installs one package as one closed application (or plug-in). Thus, even when there is an association between packages, the association is not taken into account during installation. In general, an application program refers to only application data included in the same package that also includes the application program. It is therefore difficult to determine whether or not additional application data for the application program exists when the application program is executed.
One method of using additional application data may be to use a portable recording medium (such as a memory card or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory device) that stores the application data. A memory card storing additional application data is connected to an image forming apparatus so that a file system provided in the image forming apparatus can read the application data.
However, in the method of using a portable recording medium that stores application data, the recording medium needs to be continuously connected to an image forming apparatus. If the recording medium is removed from the image forming apparatus, the application may operate incorrectly. Further, while the recording medium is continuously connected to the image forming apparatus, a connection terminal to which the recording medium is connected is not used for other purposes. Therefore, the above method of using a portable recording medium may not be desirable.